Refrigerator cabinet



REFRIGERATOR CABINET 1E s l n i0 ee see Y if ` IN1/Emol@ ATTORNEYS.

Oct.v 14, 1941. E. swDMAN REFRIGERATOR CABIJNET Filedct. 20, 193'? '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Seeger Refrigerator Company, St. Paul, a corporation of Minnesota Application October 20, 1937, Serial No. 170,037

3 Claims.

My' invention relates to van improvement in refrigerator cabinets and more particularly in a molding construction for refrigerator cabinets designed to form the connection between sheathings or coverings of thc refrigerator -body and door.

It has been common practice for a number of years to provide inner and outer metallic coverings for the body and door of arefrigerator and to space the edges of these coverings apart. In order to conceal the spacebetween the inner and outer coverings, a suitable ygasket or molding formed of nonmetallic material is used. Because of the fact that the edge of the door and the door opening is much in evidence when the door is in open position, it is extremely important to provide a neat and attractive molding and gasket construction. It has therefore been attempted to obviate the molding screws or. attaching means wherever possible, or tocover such "attaching means so that they will not mar the Minn.,

incloses the outer portion of this anchoring strip, it cannot be seen when the molding is in place.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a strip which may be formed of highly conductive material embedded within a. material which is a relatively poor conductor of heat so that the poor conducto; contacts the metallic sheathings and the strip of highly conductive material is spaced therefrom to prevent the conduction of heat from one sheathingto another. It is the purpose of my invention to provide a molding of non-metallic material which incloses or partially incloses a strip which may be formed of metal, either by sliding the metal strip longitudinally into engagement with the non-metallic molding, by casting the strip integrally with the non-metallic molding, or by -so designing the is sufiiciently soft to provide a tight fitting gas- It is an object of the ,present invention to means in the form of nails, drive-screws or the like, which anchoring means are not visible when the molding is in place. vThis is accomplished f by embedding in the molding a stripof metal or provide a molding equipped with anchoring` they are entirely invisible and accordingly do not mar the appearance of the molding.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a molding strip formed of material such as rubber or any other suitable material, plastic or otherwise. This molding strip has embedded. therein a relatively stiff strip of material, su as metal or the like, having nails projecting therefrom at intervals. As the molding entirely ket when the refrigerator door is closed.

These and other objects and novel'features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specication:

Figure lis av cross-sectional view through a portion of a refrigerator cabinet and door, illustrating the molding extending between the inner and outer sheathings of the cabinet and door.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of an anchoringV strip, bearing anchoring means which may be embedded within the molding.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of one type of molding adapted to contain the anchoring strip illustrated in Figure 2 ofthe drawings.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View through a. portion of a refrigerator cabinet, illustrating a slightly different form of construction of combined gasket and molding used to connect the inner and outer cabinet sheathings.

`Figure 5 is a sectionalview similar to Figure 4, illustrating a slightly different form of construction of` refrigerator frame used in conjunction with my molding.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Figures 4 and 5, and illustrating a slightly different form of anchoring means used in conjunction with the molding.

' Figure rI is a perspective view of the anchoring means illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

Figure 8 is a perspective .view of a section of molding used in conjunction with lthe anchoring means illustrated in Figure 7.

My refrigerator cabinet A is provided with a door B which is hingedly secured to the cabinet A in any desired, manner. The cabinet A comprises a pair of inner and outer sheathings I0 and II, respectively, between which is provided 10' a thickness of insulating material I2. A frame I3 of any desired shape is provided adjacent the edges of the sheathings Ill and I I. The sheathing I6 is provided with an offset edge I4 overlying the strip I5 attached to the frame I3, while the l5 sheathing II is provided with an'inturned edge I6 overlying a portion of the frame I3. p The edges I4 and I6 are spaced a considerable distance apart and are substantially parallel.

The molding C comprises a strip of rubber or resinous or plastic material I1 of suiiicient width to overlap the edges I4 and I6. This strip Il is provided with opposed flanges I9 and 20 which extend inwardly from the opposite side edges of the strip I1 in spaced relation .to the outer por- 25 This strip 2| is embedded within the molding strip 35- by sliding the strip longitudinally between the flanges I9 and 20, the outer portion of the strip I1, or by any other suitable means, such as moldving the strip directly within the molding, or by flexing the anges I9 and 20 to accommodate this 40 strip. The molding thus formed by the strips I1 and 2l may be attached to the refrigerator by driving the anchoring means 22 into the frame I3v between the edges I4 and I6 of the sheathings I9 and II. The anges I9 and 29 contact the edges 45 I4 and I5 and accordingly no metal-to-metal contact is formed between the strip 2| and the sheathing edges I4 and I6. v A The door B is provided with an inner sheathing 23 and en outer sheathing 24. The inner sheath- 5.0

ving 23 is provided with an inturned marginab flange 25 which yoverlies a portion of the edge of the frame 26. The outer portion 21 of the frame 26 projects beyond the periphery of the upper portion 29 of this frame 2s to provide e nange 55 projecting beyond the door opening 39 of the cabinet A. The extreme end 3i of the outer sheathing 24 is turned inwardly and is embedded within .the gasket strip 32 having a hollow bead 33 to enable the gasket to compress when closed 50 against the body or cabinet A, in order to prvide a tight closure between the cabinet and the door. The edge 34 of'the gasket 32 extends into a recess in the frame 26. 1 P The molding 35 extends over the inner portion 6" 29 of the frame 26 and connects the inturned iiange 25 of the inner sheathing 23 and the gasket 32. This molding 35 is identical with that previously described, butv may be of different dimen- 70 sions. The molding 35 is provided with an' outer strip portion 36 and opposed flanges 31 and 39 extending inwardly from the edges of the gasket in spaced relation to the outer strip portion 36. A relatively stiff anchoring strip 40 is positioned 75 between the anges 31 and 39 and the outer strip portion 36,4 which strip 40 is identical to the strip 2l. Anchoring means 4I spaced projecting centrally from the strip 40 and theseanchoring means are driven into the frame 26 so that the molding 35forms a closure between the inner sheathing 23 and the gasket 32.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, I disclose a slightly different form of molding construction in which a gasket is combined withthe molding. As may be seen from Figure 4, the refrigerator wall is covered by an outer sheathing 42 and an inner sheathing 43. The edge 44 of the outer sheathing 42 is bent at right angles to the side wall portion of .the sheathing 42 to form the front edge of the cabinet surrounding the door opening. The extreme'edge 45 of the inner sheathing 43 is bent angularly out toward the edge 44 of the outer sheathing 42. A strip 46 of any suitable material, connects the edges and 44, and anchoring means, such as the screws 41 and 49, or suitable bolts, are provided to hold the edges 45 and 44 in definite relationship. The edges 44 and 45 are spaced a considerable distance apart to prevent the conduction of heat from one sheathing to the other.,

The molding D comprises an outer arcuated strip portion which overlies the edges 44 and .45. The edge of the strip 50 overlying the edge 44 of the sheathing 42 is hollowed to provide an air space 5I therein, to permit this portion of the .gasket to compress when the refrigerator door closes against the same. This edge 52 of the strip 50, is angula'rly disposed with respect tothe remainder of the strip which overlies the frame strip 46. A pair of opposed iianges 53 and 54 are provided in spaced relation to the strip 56 to inclose the edges of the reinforcing strip 55.` This strip 55 is identical in form to the strip 2I illustrated in Figure 2, and is equipped with spaced anchoring means 56 which may be in the form of nails, as illustrated, or any other type -of anchoring device.

The anges 53 and 54 space the anchoring strip from the edges 44 and 45 of the sheathin gs 42 and43 and from the frame strip 46. At the junction between the angularly disposed end 52 and the-body of the strip 59 overlying the .62 and has a marginal edge'63 bent into alinement with the edge 60 of the inner flange 59. A

lstrip 64 of any suitable frame material, such as plastic material., resinous material, wood or wood pulp products, is secured between the edges 60 and 63 by screws 65 or by other suitable means. The molding E is identical to the molding D being provided with an outer strip 66i having attached to one end thereof a hollow gasket portion 61. Opposed flanges 69 inclose an anchoring strip 10 provided with anchoring means 1I. 'I'he molding 66 covers the edges 69 and 63, and overlies a portion of the front surface 62 forming a gasket between this front surface and the door of the refrigerator.

In Figures 6 and 7 and 8, I illustrate a slightly different form of molding construction in which the incding may be attached to the anchoring are longitudinally cabinet is covered with an inner sheathing 12.

and an outer sheathing 13. The outer sheathing 1311s bent to'form the front surface 14 and is provided with a marginal edge 15 which is bent into alinement with the edge 18 on the inner sheathing 12. A frame strip 11 connects the edges 16 and 15 being securedthereto by screws 19 or other suitable fastening means.

The anchoring strip 80 may best be illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings. This strip 80 includes a base portion 8| and angularly disposed marginal anges 82 which extend outwardly from the frame strip 11 when the anchoring strip 88 is attached thereto by means of the anchoring means 83 forming a part of the strip 80. The molding F is formed as illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, 'having preferably an arcuated outer surface 84 and a at inner surface 85 and having angularly disposed grooves 86 extending longitudinally through the strip to engage the edge ianges 82. It is obvious that the molding F may be attached to the anchoring strip 80 after the strip 80 has been attached to the frame 11 by inserting one flange 82 'in one groove 88 and by ilexing the material until the other ange 82 enters the co-operating groove 86 in the moldring F.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of construction of my refrigerator cabinet and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, Il desire to have it understood that these are only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention, and that obvious changes may be made Within the scope`of the following claims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: y

l. A-refrigerator cabinet comprising inner and outer sheathings having marginal Vedges spaced apart, a frame connecting said marginal edges and a molding overlying the yconne :tion between said marginal edges and contacting the same, said molding including a strip of non-metallic iiexibleresillent material and a relatively stiU member being of a width to overlap said sheathings, said molding leaving a portion of said member exposed throughout its length between said marginal edges on the side thereof adjacent said frame, and anchoring means secured to said strip projecting from said exposed portion of Said strip and extending into said frame between said marginal edges, said non-metallic flexible strip being interposed between said metallic strip and said marginal edges.

2. A refrigerator cabinet comprising inner and outer sheathings having marginal edges bent inwardly toward each other in spaced relation, a

frame connecting said marginal edges, a non frame, said non-metallic strip provided with opposed flanges extending inwardly from the edges of said non-metallic strip to the central portion thereof, a flat metallic strip removably secured within said opposed anges in spaced relation to said sheathings and of a width to overlie said marginalv edges, and anchoring means on said strip extending between the said opposed anges for engagement with the said frame.

3. A refrigerator cabinet comprising an `inner and outer spaced sheathing, an outwardly directed marginal flange provided on the edge of said inner sheathing in spaced relation to the edge portion'of said outer sheathing, a frame connecting the edge portions of said inner and outer sheathings, a exible resilient strip provided with inwardly directed anges overlying and con" tacting the marginal edges of said sheathings and concealing said frame, a flat metallic strip removably secured within said inwardly directed anges in spaced relation to said sheathings and of a Width sufdcient to overlie said inwardly directed iiange with a flange of theexible resilient strip interposed therebetween, a hollow gasket on said resilient strip overlying the edge portion of said outer' sheathingand anchoring means on said metallic strip extending between said inwardly directed iianges and edges and engaging the said frame and clamping said interposed fiange to said outwardly directed marginal iiange.

ENQCI-i SWEDMAN. 

